The present invention relates to fasteners, particularly to male fastener components for hook and loop fasteners, to methods of manufacturing them, and to their use in securing a mesh material to a window frame to provide a temporary insect screen.
It is common, particularly in the United States, to provide windows with permanent screens to allow the windows to be opened without admitting insects. However, such screens are not always provided, and in fact are relatively uncommon in homes in Europe. To meet the need for screening in these situations, temporary screens have been developed. These screens are generally installed when insects are present and removed when insects are not present, by removably attaching a sheet of mesh material to an attachment strip that is adhered to the window frame. Generally these temporary screens are mounted on the inside of the window.
Attachments strips have been formed of, among other things, the male component of a hook and loop type fastener. To secure the screen, the male fastener elements are inserted through the openings of the mesh material and engage the sides of the mesh openings. It is desirable that the engagement between the male fastener elements and the mesh openings provide good peel strength, so that the screen is not detached by wind, and that the attachment strip be inexpensive and relatively attractive.
There is also a general need for male fastener components for hook and loop fasteners that provide good multidirectional peel and shear strength properties and that are relatively inexpensive to manufacture.